The present invention relates to a nipple scrub having a rotatable handle attached to a rotatable rod with a clip securing a scrubbing material therebetween to achieve thorough cleaning of a baby bottle nipple.
The importance of having clean bottle nipples used with baby bottles for feeding young children is well recognized. A dirty baby bottle nipple can result in serious health consequences for the baby drinking therefrom.
There has long been in use brush cleaners for cleaning baby bottles. Hot water and soap or other cleaning agents used with a brush are used to clean baby bottles. Although such brushes may clean the bottle reasonably well, they are not designed to, nor do they clean baby bottle nipples thoroughly.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,461 issued to Bucklitzsch has an outwardly tapered bottom that is designed to enable the brush to reach the lower corners of the bottle. Though such a brush may be able to reach lower corners of the bottle, it would not be able to effectively clean the inner areas of a bottle nipple as the outwardly tapered bottom would not fit within a bottle nipple.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,941 to Liu describes a baby bottle cleaner having dual brushes. The main brush is bent to generally conform to the shape of the baby bottle. The second brush or rod holds the main brush against the surface of the bottle. This apparatus would not be thorough in cleaning a baby bottle nipple as it""s shape does not allow it to clean all areas of the nipple including the narrow top portion and wider bottom portion of the nipple. Additionally, the second brush which holds the main brush against the surface of the bottle does not provide any additional support or force to the main brush that would assist in cleaning.
A dishwasher using hot water and detergent may also be used to clean baby bottles and baby bottle nipples. Again, the washer may clean baby bottles reasonably well. However, dishwashers tend to be ill-suited for cleaning baby bottle nipples. Dried milk or baby formula accumulates on the inner part of the nipple.
It is difficult for the dishwasher to penetrate the inner nipple to clean the dried material.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning baby bottle nipples and the like that is capable of thoroughly cleaning the inner part of the nipple.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning baby bottle nipples that is simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning baby bottle nipples that is easy to assemble and disassemble.
The present invention provides a hand operated apparatus for cleaning baby bottle nipples or the like, capable of effectively and efficiently cleaning the entire inside surface of a baby bottle nipple.
The nipple scrub is comprised of a handle with a rod having an offset, the rod rotatably attached to the handle at one end. A clip is attached at a distal end of the rod. A scrubbing material such as a sponge is secured between two tangs of the clip.
The distal end of the rod terminates in a flat surface. In one embodiment the flat surface is a disk. The disk is attached to one of the two tangs making up the clip. The disk provides a support for the scrubbing material and provides pressure to the scrubbing material allowing the scrubbing material to be compressed into the nipple thus assisting in the thorough cleaning of the nipple.
In operation, the clip and the scrubbing material secured therebetween are received by the nipple. The user wets the scrubbing material with cleaning fluid and cleans the nipple. The apparatus is then rotated by grasping the nipple in one hand to hold it steady, while grasping the handle in the other hand and rotating the handle. The conical shape of the scrubbing material and the tangs, which converge to an apex, assist in enabling the apparatus to reach all parts of the baby bottle nipple for cleaning as the nipple scrub is rotated.
The parts of the nipple scrub apparatus are removably secured to one another and provide for easy assembly. The bottom of the rod is xe2x80x9csnap fitxe2x80x9d into place with a cavity of the handle. One tang of the clip is xe2x80x9csnap fitxe2x80x9d into place with the other tang of the clip. These removable parts can be manufactured easily using an injection molding process. The scrubbing material has an opening allowing it to be secured within the clip and easily removed and replaced.